The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-02-17
PENSION vETOEs.

Republican organs are raising ter
rible howl against President Cleveland
because he occasionally exercises the
power Of veto In certain special pension
cases, In the hope to sntagoniZe the
soldiers Of the country against him.
But where the facts are given, the
demagogery of these organs Is apparent.
Ills true The President has sent to Con-
gress number Of Vetoes Of special pen
sion bills, but with them has sent his
messages, pointing out the abuses that
result from Congress acting on claims
rejected by the Pension Bureau. We
append couple of sample cases:
The case of Cudbert Stone Is notable
instance of what General Bragg calls
the rubbish Of the army" coming to the
front. Stone was voted pension by
Congress on the ground that he had
incurred pensionable disability dur
ing his "lOng and faithful service"
In the army. The records Of the
War Department show that he en-
listed In 03tObeT, 1861, and was reported
q eserter from December, 1861, until
November, 1854 He was mustered out
with his company In January, with no
evidence Of disability, and he filed no
claim for pension until 1881, when he
alleged that he contracted disability
In the winter of 1858, although subse-
qUently changed this date and alleged
that the disease was contracted "While
he was being carried from place to place
as a prisoner, he having been tried by
court martial In May, 1852, for deser-
tiOn, and sentenced to imprisonment
until the expiration of his term of en-
listment." It thus appears, by his own
admission, that he spent most of his
term In deeerti0n, or In imprisonment
for de ertiOn, and yet a committee Of
Congress reported In favor Of granting
him pension on account Of the "lOng
and faithful service and the high char
scter Of the claimant! The President
withholds his assent on the ground that
"the allowance Of this claim would, in
my opinion, be travestey upon our
whole scheme of pensions and an insult
to every decent soldier"
Another veto Of the bill granting q
pension to Abraham P. Griggs, who en-
listed In New jersey regiment August
IA, 1851, and was discharged for disabll-
lty November II, 1868, after having been
In hospital since January 2, 1868. His
certificate of discharge from the service
reads thus:
"This man has been In this hospital
for the past eight months. We do not
believe him sick or that he has been
sick, but completely worthless. He Is
obese and maligner to such an extent
that he Ia almost an mbecile-wOrth-
lessness, obesity, and imbecility and
lazlness. he Is totally unfit for the In
valid corps, or for any other military
duty"
Yet this notorious shirk had the impu-
dence nearly twenty years later to apply
for pension on the ground that he had
contracted rheumatism In the service,
and he found four comrades to make aft
dsvit In support of his claim, two Of
these four, by the way. being recorded
as deserters. A board Of examining sur
geons report as the result Of an exami-
nation as late as May 27, 1885. that they
found no evidence of any disease, but, on
the contrary, every reason to believe
that the man was able to work; and yet
he would have got pension If 1t had
not been for the President.
Now this Ia fair sample of many Of
the claims which call forth Presiden-
tial veto. ls there an h0nOrably dis
charged soldier in the land who will say
that the President did not do right In
refusing to approve themP %.